Since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, top-secret intelligence gathering by
the government has grown so unwieldy and expensive that no one really knows
what it cost and how many people are involved, The Washington Post reported
Monday.

A two-year investigation by the newspaper uncovered what it termed a "Top
Secret America" that's mostly hidden from public view and largely lacking
in oversight.

In its first installment of a series of reports, the Post said there are now
more than 1,200 government organizations and more than 1,900 private companies
working on counterterrorism, homeland security and intelligence in some 10,000
locations across the U.S.

Some 854,000 people -- or nearly 1 1/2 times the number of people who
live in Washington -- have top-secret security clearance, the paper said.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Post that he doesn't believe the massive
bureaucracy of government and private intelligence has grown too large to manage,
but it is sometimes hard to get precise information.

"Nine years after 9/11, it makes sense to sort of take a look at this
and say, 'OK, we've built tremendous capability, but do we have more than we
need?" he said.

The head of the CIA, Leon Panetta, said he knows that with the growing budget
deficits the level of spending on intelligence will likely be reduced and he's
at work on a five-year plan for the agency.

The White House had been anticipating the Post report and said before it was
published that the Obama administration came into office aware of the problems
and is trying to fix them.

Read the full Washington Post report by Dana Priest and William M. Arkin online
here.

Since the terror attacks of Sept. 11, top-secret intelligence gathering by
the government has grown so unwieldy and expensive that no one really knows
what it cost and how many people are involved, The Washington Post reported
Monday.

A two-year investigation by the newspaper uncovered what it termed a "Top
Secret America" that's mostly hidden from public view and largely lacking
in oversight.

In its first installment of a series of reports, the Post said there are now
more than 1,200 government organizations and more than 1,900 private companies
working on counterterrorism, homeland security and intelligence in some 10,000
locations across the U.S.

Some 854,000 people -- or nearly 1 1/2 times the number of people who
live in Washington -- have top-secret security clearance, the paper said.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates told the Post that he doesn't believe the massive
bureaucracy of government and private intelligence has grown too large to manage,
but it is sometimes hard to get precise information.

"Nine years after 9/11, it makes sense to sort of take a look at this
and say, 'OK, we've built tremendous capability, but do we have more than we
need?" he said.

The head of the CIA, Leon Panetta, said he knows that with the growing budget
deficits the level of spending on intelligence will likely be reduced and he's
at work on a five-year plan for the agency.

The White House had been anticipating the Post report and said before it was
published that the Obama administration came into office aware of the problems
and is trying to fix them.

Source: AP News

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